Air and water discharge valve for radiators.



P. W. LEUTHESSER. l AIR AND WATER DISCHARGE VALVE FOR RADIATORS.

APPLIOATIQN H LBD 1920.27.1909.

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F. W. LEUTHBSSER. AIE AND WATER DISCHARGE VALVE EOE RADIATORS.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 27, 1909.

Patented Apr. 12, '1910.

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F. W. LB'UTHESSBR. A AIB AND WATER DISCHARGE VALVE FOB. RADIATORS.

APPLIOATIQN FILED DEO. 27, 1909.

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Patented Apr. 12,1910.

F. W. LBUTH'ESSER. AIR ANDAWATER DISCHARGE VALVE FOR RADIATORS. v APPLIUATIoNf FILED nno.a7,19o9.

5, 'Patented APRI-2, 1910.

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FRED W. LETHESSER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS .AIR AND WATER BISCHRGE VALVE FOR RADIATORS.

To ull.l wzomit may concern:

Be it known that I, FRED XV. LEUTHESSER, a citizen of the United States, `residingat Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Air and lVater Discharge Valves forRadiators, of which the following is a specification.

The valve of the present invention 1s intended to be attached to the return endv of a steam radiator for the purpose of discharging air and water of condensation from the radiator without permitting the escape ot' a material volume of steam.

The present valve is of the type which employs a float for the purposezof regulating the discharge of the water of condensation; and the principal object of the invenytion is to protect the float from agitation.

due to the iii-rush o'f Water, by -locating the ioat in a substantially quiet body of water, which will be outside of the current or flow vof water from the inlet to the point ofidischarge into -the return pipe. By arranging the float in the manner stated, it will act entirely by notation-and will not be subjectedto the impact of the water entering the valve casing, with the result that the operation of the float will be practically noiseless, which is of great import-ance in the operation of valves applied to radiatorsl in hospitals, lecture'ha'lls, schoolrooms, or other places where quietis desired. l

A further object of the invention is to so arrange the inner mechanism of the valve that the same' can be readily removed and cleaned when necessary, without removing inafter described and claimed.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed December 27, 1909.

Patented Apr. 12, 1910. Serial No. 535,183.

thereto; Fig. 3 a sectional elevation of a smilarvalve showing a' slightly different method 'of securing the inner shell to the cap or cover; Fig. 4 a sectional elevation of the valve, similar in general arrangement to the valve of Fig. 3 vand having the inlet at the top; and Fig. 5 a sectional elevation of the valve, similar to the one shown in Fig. 4, and adapted to discharge air into the atmosphere.

Referring to Fig. 1, the valve comprises a casing 5, of generally cylindrical' formation, which is provided at its lower end, on one side, with a laterally extending neck 6, furnishing an inlet passage 7 which opens into a hollowed out cup or pocket 8, communieating directly with the interior of the shell. The cup or'pocket communicates with a discharge chamber 9 formed' on the interior of a depending stem 10, which is bored to furnish a threaded discharge passage 11. The

discharge chamber 9 is ada ted tocommunicate with the cup or poc tet 8 through a' cap is provided, at its center, with a thread? ed plug 16, which is provided with a recess v 17 adapted to receive the upper end'of an Yair inlet tube 18, which upwardly extends fromand is carried by an elongated float 19.

The float is provided, at its lower end, with a depending tubular valve piece 20, whichis lentered into a valve plug 21, threaded into the .bottom or floor of the chamber of the casing, and is provided with a centrally dis-` posed, vertical discharge port 22, which port 1s in communication with the air passage through the tubular valve piece 20. The

lower end of thevalve piece is adapted to seat against th'eared rim or mouth 23015 the discharge port, which rim Aor -mouth merges into a transversely extending water "outlet port 24 cut through the .valve 'plug from side to side thereof, through which 'valve port'the valve piece extends when seated, so as to prevent the escape of water. The valve plug is shouldered at a point 25 and entered through an outer cup 26, the bottom of which bears against they floor of the valve casing and is clamped thereon by the valve plug. The upper rim of the cup 26 extends up toa point which is preferably slightly below the line of flotation of the float, and the cup coperates with an inner cylindrical shell 27, which is inwardly rounded, at its lower end 28, to conform with the curvature of the lower portion of the outer cup 26, the inner shell being open at its lower end, which terminates at or near the bottom of the tloat, The upperend'of the inner shell 27 is entered into a recess 29A on the inner face of the cap or cover, to which it can be brazed, or otherwise connected or attached, so that the shell will be carried by the cover. The inner shell, nea-r its upper end, is pitovided with air inlet holes 30, "which permit the air to pass up to the topot1 the float chamber formed. by the inner'shell and find an outlet through the valve.

The valve of Fig. 2 is similar to that previously described, with the exception that it is provided with a balile plate 31, which de-v pends into the cup or pocket 8, vand is further providedwith a ball check valve 32 for preventing rthe return ofwater of condensation from the valve through the inlet passage to the radiator.

In order to prevent the water from falling immediately into the annular spacey between the` innery shell 27 and the surrounding cup 26, the upper edge of the latter is inturned in the form of an annular Harige 36, which abuts against the direct in-fio'vv of water, as it falls from theinlet passage, and this inturned annular flange also serves as a guide and support for the depending shell,

which will be properly centered and heldby its engagement with the flange.

The valve ofjFig. l3 issimilar all re-l spects to that previously described, with the exception that the upper edge ofthe inner shell 27 is provided with a bead 33, which is spun into an annular groove 34 on the inner face of the annular rim 15 of the cap or COVE?.

Y with an inlet passage at or near the top ofthe casing, instead of at the bottom, so

' that the water will he admitted to the casing atthe top. The cup oia the valve in Fig. 4 isa'lsov provided with an' inturned annular flange similar to-that shown in Figs. 2 and 3, which also serves the guiding and centering function of the flange shown in these figures, although in the valve of Figs. l, 2 and 3, in which the water is admittedv at the'bottoin, 'the flange may be dispensed withas is vshown in Fig. l. Water, how ever, is admitted into the annular space `thi-(nigh water inlet holes 3? formed around the upper edge of the cup and immediately below the int-urned annular flange 36.

In Fig. 5 is shown a valve similar to that of Fig.' 4, except for the fact that noprovision is made 'for the discharge of air through the float, the air being' discharged through a pet coclr 38 screwed into the plug 16 in the center of the cap or cover, and in place of the air inlet tube and rthe tubular valve piece carried by the float, a solid guide stem 39 and a solid valve piece 40 are provided. Y

The operation of the valves of Figs. 1, 2 and 3 is the same. lWhen the valve is attached to the return side of a radiator and steam is admitted into the radiator, the air will'be forced ahead of the steam and will pass through the inlet passage, which will ordinarily be sealed with water, and thence will pass to the top of the casing and through the air inlet holes in the inlet shell to the top of the lioat chamber afforded thereby. The discharge of air from the tloat chamber is eil'ected through the air inlet tube in the top of the ioat and the tubular valve piece in t-he bottom of the vfloat, the air being drawn ott by the suction in the return pipe, to which the valve is connected. Jlifter the air has been thus discharged from the radiator, the steam will follow and will ascend up through the accumulated water in the bottom of the chamber, and more or less of the steam will be condensed inthe upper part of the lioat chamber. The steam being moist, it will not flow freely through the air inlet tube in the ytop of the float, and this smallpassageway, which retards the pas lOO sage of steam, acting in conjunction lwith the water seal formed in the bottom of the casing, will conserve the steam and prevent its escape in any material volume from the radiator. As water of condensation is former inr` the radiator, it will How into the valve casing,` and the superior pressure ot the steam in the radiator as compared with the pressure in the tlat chamber, will force the .water-of condensation up into the valve cas ing.- until it rises to point where it will overflow the edge of the cup 26 and flow down into the cup. the cup will ll the space within the inner shell and around the float, the lower end of which will thus be immersed in a comparatively quictbody of water, which will. be undisturbed by the in-liow of water in the inlet passage. After the water has risen to the line of flotation of the float. the latter Vwill be raised and a portion of the water thus accumulated will be discharged through the water outletv port, and thence through the discharge port and 4into thereturn pipe.

In the ordinary operation ol the valve, a `considerable volume of water will he retained in the cup and 'within the inner shell The riseozt' water in' phi izo

i surrounding the float, so that afterthe initial accumulation of water in the valve, there will be sutlicient water to maintain a water seal in the lower part of the valve casing atall times. The float will be guarded against the direct impingementA of the infiowing water, so that it will operate in a substantially quiet body of water, with the result that its operation will be noiseless, and with the further result that itl will not be' subjected to the motor action of thein- 'V rushing water, which would tend to cause inequalities in its movements. By carrying` l the inner shell from or by the cap or cover.

of the valve casing, it will be possibleoto remove the shell with the cap, and theret after remove the float, after which the cup can be thoroughly cleaned, if desired, or the 4 cup can also be removed by' unscrewing the valve plug, which affords access to every portion of the interior of the valve.

The operation of the valve of Figs. 4 and.

- 5 differs somewhat from that hitherto del scribed, in that the water` of condensation will be admitted at the top of the casing, so that no water seal will be afforded within the valve itself against the escape of air the outer cup and the inner shell -and willv through the air vent. In so far as the function and usefulness of the outer cup and inner shell are concerned, however, the valves of Figs. 4f and 5 differ not at all from -thc valves previously described. It will be seen from the foregoing description that ample provision is made foi'vthe protection of the ioat against disturbing influences, and, at the same time, provision is made fordisassembling and reassembling the valves Without diiiiculty, for the purpose of cleaning or repair. However, the valve will ordinarily remain clean, rfor the reason that oil or tloatage which enters the casing, being light, will rise to the top ofthe body of water occupying the annular space between rarely, if ever, find access to the interior of the inner shell and in contact with the iioat.

-IY claim: 1. ln a valve of the class described, .the

1 combination of a casing provided with an inlet passage vand a discharge passage, 'a

float within the casing for governing the discharge passage, an outer guard member,

as a cup, surrounding the lowercnd of the float and secured to the bottom of the casvshell carried by and removable with the- -in'g, a cap or cover for the casing, an inner cap or cover and extending down within tie outer member, and means for discharging the air from the casing, substantiallyas described.

f2.. In a valve of the class described, the combination of a casing provided with an `inletl 'passage and a discharge passage, a

flfoi'it, within the-casing for' governing the discharge passage, an outer. guard member,

asa cup, surrounding the lower end -of the float and secured to the bottom of the casing, a cap or cover for the casing, an inner shell carried by and removable with the cap or cover and extending down within the outer member and cut away 4at its lower end, and means for discharging the air from thecasing, substantially as described.

3. In a valve of the 'class`described, the combination of a casing provided with an inlet passage and a discharge passage, a float. within V.the casing, provided with a tubular valve piece, for governing the discharge passage, an outer guard member, as

a cup, surrounding the lower end ofthe iioat and carried by the bottom of the casing, a cap or cover for the casing, and an inner shell secured to and removable with the 'cap or cover and extending down within the outer member, the float being provided at its upper end with a member furnishing an air inlet passage adapted to cooperate with -carried by and removable with the cap or cover and extending down within the outer member and cut away at its lowervend, thev float being provided at its upper end with a member furnishing an air inlet passage adapted to coperate with the tubular valve piece in discharging the air from the casing, and the inner shell bein provided near its upper end with an air inlet hole,` substantially as described.

5. In a valve of the class described, the combination of a valve casing provided with an inlet passage and aA discharge passage, a

shouldered valve plug entered into the floor of the casing and provided with a discharge port communicating with the discharge passage, a valve piece governing the discharge port, a fioat from which said valve piece depends, the valve plug being provided with a water outlet port communicating, Whenthe valve piecev is raised, with the discharge port, an 'outerguard member, as a cup, clamped to the licor of the casing by the shouldered valveplug, a cap or coverfor the casing, an inner shell carried by and removable` with the cap or cover extendin down within the outermember'and -opene v`atl its lower end, and means for discharging the air from' the upper portion of the casing, substantially as described, f

-at its lower end ,and surrounding 6. In a valve of the class described, the combination of a valve casing provided'with an inlet passage and a discharge passage, a shouldered valve plug entered into the door of the casing and provided with a discharge port communicating with the discharge passage, a tubular valve piece governing the discharge port, a float from which said tubular valve piece depends, the valve plug being provided with a water outlet port communicating, when the valve piece is raised, with the discharge port, an outer guard member, as a cup, clamped to the :door of the casing by the shouldered plug, a cap or cover for the casing, an inner shell carried by and removable with the cap or cover extending down within the outer member and opened at its lower end, a valve inlet tube upwardly extending from the float and adapted to co act with the tubular valve piece in discharging the air from the casing, and an inlet hole near the top of the inner shell for admitting air within the inner shell, to be discharged through the air inlet tube, substantially as described.

7. ln a valve of the class described, the

' combination cfa casing having a chamber formed therein, said casing being provided with an inlet passage and a discharge passage, a iloat within the chamber, a valve carried by the float for governing the discharge passage, a cap or cover for the upper end of the casing, a shell carried by and removable with the cap or cover, said shell being open at its lower end and surrounding the float, and having at its upper end an air eduction opening, and a shield for the open lower endof the shell for preventing the forcible admission of water into the open end of the shell around the i'ioat, and serving as a shield for protecting the lower end of the `ioat against the strong impact and agitation from the iii-rushing water, substantially as described. y

8. In a valve of the class described, the combination of a casing having a chamber formed therein, said casing bein provided with an inlet passage and a disc arge passage, a lloat within the chamber, a valve car ried by the oat for governing the discharge passage, a cap or cover for the upper end of the casing, ashell carried by and removable with thecap or cover, said shell being open the float, and having at its upper end a n air eduction opening, and a shield for theiopen lower end of the shell for preventing the forcible admission of water into Athe open end or' the shell around the iioati, and serving as a shield for protecting the lower end of the oat against the strong impact and agitation from the in-rushin'g water, the shell and shield coperating to furnish outer, intermediate and inner bodies `of water within essere the doat chamber, the intermediate and inner bodies of water being free from agitation and the outer body of water providin a seal against the free passage or' air and steam from the radiator into the casing, substantially as described. A

9. In a valve of the class described, a shell provided with an inlet passage near its upper end and a discharge passage at its lower end, a float within the casing for governing the discharge passage, an outer guard member, as a cup, surrounding the lower end of the float and secured to the bottom of the casing, a cap or cover for the casing, an inner shell carried by and removable with the cap or cover and extending down within the outer member, and means :tor discharging the air from the casing, substantially as described.

l0. In a valve of the class described, a shell provided with an inlet passage near its upper end and a discharge passage at its lower end, a float within the casing :tor governing the discharge passage,' an outer guard member, as a cup, surrounding the lower end of the oat and secured to the bottom of the casing, a cap or cover for the casing, an inner shell carried by and rem0vable with the cap orcover and extending down within the outer member and cut away at its lower end, and means for discharging the air from the casing, substantially as described. c

1l. In a valve of the class described, a shell provided with an inlet passage near its upper end and a discharge passage at its lowervend, a lloat within the casing, pro vided with a tubular valve piece, for governing the discharge passage, an. outer guard member, as a cup, surrounding the lower end of the loat andv secured to the bottom of the casing, a capv or coverfor the casing, and an inner shell carried by and removable with the cap or cover and extending down within the outer member and out away at its lower end, the float being provided at its upper end with a. member furnishing an air inlet passage adapted to lcooperate with the tubular valve piece in dis` charging the air from the casing, and the inner shell being 'provided near its upper.

end with an air described.

12. In a. valve of the class described, a shell provided with an inletvpassage near its upper end and a discharge passage at its lower end, a doat within the casing, provided with a tubular valve piece, for govinlet hole, substantially as ernin the-dischar e assage an outer uard.-

P s i member, as a cup, surrounding the ower end of the-float and secured to the bottom or" the casing, a cap or cover for the cas ing, and an inner shell carried by and' removable with the cap .or cover and extendr-` ingv down within the oliter meniber and clit end with an air inlet hole, 4substantially as away at its lower end, the'fioatv being 4prodesoribedu:

' vided at its upper end with a member fur- LEUTHESSER nishing van air mlet passage adapted "no o0.

operate with the tubular valve piece' in disy Witnesses: A l charging the air `from the casing,4 andthe MARY R. FROST, inner shell being provided near its upper vIEIPHRAIM BANNING. 

